A JOE CALLED "MERCURY"DISCLAIMER: I don't own G.I. Joe, which makes me want to cry, because if I did, I'd own Beach Head, Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Duke, Hawk, and a ton of cute guys... AUTHOR: Zpan SvenE-MAIL: Zpan_Sven@hotmail.comAUTHOR'S NOTES: I do own Mercury (Private Patricia Elizabeth Reed), Chaplain (Sophia Deheune), COBRA Televiper Fredrick "Freddy" Michealson (Codenamed Virus), Fredericka "Rikki" Michealson, COBRA ninja viper Eric Leum (Codenamed Black Mamba) and COBRA Viper Jonathan Helmsley, Jamieson "Jamie" Helmsley, Xanatos, and Ryoko. Takes place prior to issue one.STORY SUMMARY: At the USAF Olympics, Hawk catches sight of a potential Joe days before the reemergence of Cobra. After Cobra resurfaces, he recruits the young Private. Just how will this Private aid in the battle against the forces of Cobra and what is the secret that resides in the Privates past that Hawk knows?CHAPTER SUMMARY: While attending as a substitute judge on the last day of the USAF Olympics, Hawk catches sight of an impressive Army Private who has the sheer force of will and strength to make it as a Joe.WARNINGS: Violence, languageRATING: PG GENRE: Action & Adventure/Romance/GeneralARCHIVE: ask, and ye will more than likely receive!

CHAPTER ONE: LOOK AT THAT GIRL GO!

General Clayton M. Abernathy yawned as he leaned back in his seat, raking his fingers through his short blond hair, feeling slightly overheated in his formal dress greens in the muggy autumn air, the weight of his medals seeming heavier then normal.

"Having fun yet, Hawk?" Asked General Gardner as he puffed on his pipe, calling the other man by his old codename.

"How long will this last?" Hawk grumbled impatiently, eyeing the crowd and the teams participating on reflex. In the stands were few civilians, the family members of those participating or fellow spectators.

"You're lucky, Hawk," Gardner chuckled, "You're simply a replacement today. All you have to do today is judge track and field with the rest of us! Hell, you might even enjoy it!"

"Enjoy this?" The younger General asked in disbelief.

"I hear the Army has a female Private that can leave her more experienced male comrades from any branch in the dust," commented a tall silver haired man in an Admiral's uniform adorned with numerous medals as he sat down on the other side of Gardner. "Of course you'd have difficulty spotting her until she breaks away from the pack due to her height."

"Really, Admiral Leway?" Hawk asked as he looked over at the Admiral. Leway was notorious for his preferential treatment of the Navy over any other branch of the Armed Forces. To hear him admit that there was someone better then any of his sailors must mean it was true - and it must really stick in his craw too that his sailors were lacking in some way.

"Even I have to admit it, Hawk. She's good." Leway replied with a shrug before giving the Brigadier General a meaningful look, "In fact, she'd be called GI Joe good if they were still around."

"The Events are about to begin." Gardner said as he straightened up in his chair in interest.

The sound of a crowd cheering was unusual for Private Reed. Reed was used to the sounds of her drill sergeant bellowing orders and the even footsteps of the troops around her. Nervous, she ran a hand through her short blonde hair.

"Don't think about the crowd, Reed," one of her teammates advised sympathetically, "Just tune 'em out and run!"

"I hear ya, Fitzpatrick," Reed stated, barely paying any attention to the male Private, who blushed and stuttered out a "You're welcome"

Reed and her team sat down on the bench in their squad's alcove, waiting to be called for their event. She carefully checked her shoelaces, making certain that they were tightly laced up and double knotted.

"Reed, Fitzpatrick, you two're up for the Hundred Meter dash!" Bellowed their Sergeant.

"Sir, yes sir!" the two Privates bellowed in unison as they sprang to their feet.

Reed and Fitzpatrick took up their starting positions with the other runners, waiting for...

Hawk jerked slightly as the starting pistol went off, a left over reflex from fighting the forces of Cobra. The runners sprang forward and a female Army Private and a male Naval Ensign sprang to the lead of the pack. Hawk critically ran an eye over the young Private - if it hadn't been the fact the wind was plastering her shirt to her chest, he'd have had difficulty believing that was a woman. She was small and lean, looking like a young teenaged boy from her musculature; he estimated her age to still be in her teens, not having yet hit her twenties. The two were neck and neck for a second or so until the Private smirked and with a burst of speed, sprang ahead of the Ensign, crossing the finish line.

"She's the one I was telling you about." The Admiral said to Hawk as the Private and another group of runners prepared for the two hundred meter dash.

"I see her," Hawk replied softly. "She is good. Damn good. And she's not at full potential yet, I bet..."

Once more the starting pistol went off - and once more the female Private came in first place with an easy win. As the day progressed, the Private was in almost all of the track and field events, forgoing several of the throwing ones in favor of the running and jumps. She barely looked exhausted and everything seemed well until...

Reed was tiring, but she stubbornly refused to let its show. Her long legs easily ate up the track beneath her as she prepared to break away from the rest of the runners when the Naval Ensign from the hundred-meter dash decided to get some payback...

Hawk sat up straight in his chair as the Private went down. The crowd gave a startled gasp and then a rousing cheer as the Private was up on her feet and off in a dead run, which brought her back equal to the pack of runners and past them as she took the lead...

Reed felt as her ankle twisted as she went down. It wasn't broken - it wasn't hurting enough to be broken... She snarled and shoved herself back to her feet, ignoring the pain in her ankle. Her long strides carried her back to the pack of runners, and with a sneer at the shocked Ensign, past them and over the finish line, coming in first place once more.

"Reed! You OK?" Asked he concerned Fitzpatrick, "I saw him trip you - we all did!" That was said with the male Private gesturing to Sarge, the rest of the team, as well as the Marines' team. Both her team and the Marines' team were currently glaring evilly at the Ensign who had tripped her.

"I'm fine, just let me get ready for the Javelin Throw." She replied as she walked - she absolutely refused to limp - over to pick up her Javelin.

"Reed! If you're hurt-" Sarge began.

"I'm fine -- and a soldier, sir." Reed interrupted as she prepared to walk over to the Javelin Throw. "What sort of soldier am I if I cannot complete my mission with simply a sprained ankle if I happened to have one?"

Sarge's shoulders slumped and he shook his head in resignation. She was right - and she didn't seem to be in any discomfort, so maybe she was fine. Of course that could be the adrenaline talking. "Well, the only thing after the Javelin Throw is the Long Jump. After that, you are seeing the medic ASAP, just in case!"

"Yes sir!" Reed said with a perfect salute before she darted over to the other soldiers preparing for the Javelin Throw.

The crowd cheered loudly as the Private stepped up, Javelin held firmly in her hands. Hawk smiled slightly as he watched her go through the event. 'Lady Jaye could give this Private several pointers, while Beach Head would enjoy putting her through PT - he might even be impressed by her speed, inner strength and determination./ I have a feeling that she'd butt heads with the more stubborn of the Joes./' Hawk thought and couldn't help but picture this Private among his Joes, feeling a pang of nostalgia as he remembered his team.

Reed concealed a wince as she prepared for the Long Jump. Next to the hurdles and the Pole Vault, it was one of her favorite events. Maybe it was because she felt like she was flying without wings... She heard the starting pistol and she darted forward, her legs pumping and her ankle throbbing.

The Private's movements were graceful and flowed together as she dashed forward, building up her momentum for the Long Jump. She lunged into the air and for a split second, seemed to fly before she landed feet first into the sand. Reed gritted her teeth as pain shot up her leg from her ankle. The officials marked her jumping distance as she stood and brushed the sand from her sweaty knees. She staggered out of the sand pit over to the rest of her team. Reed wasn't surprised in the least to see a medic waiting on her.

Hawk and the other judges tallied up the scores and the GI Joe's commander was pleased to see, that despite of her injuries, Private Reed had won the Gold for Track and Field. 'She moves like mercury...' the General mused.